Saturday, 1 October 2016

A trip to Arvensis Perennials

On Friday afternoon, on the last day in September which was warm and sunny, I finally made the trip into Wiltshire to see Arvensis Perennials who's site is just outside Bradford Upon Avon. Having had 3 very early starts and very long days, I was shattered an a bit of retail plant therapy at a lovely indie nursery was just what I needed. Having had a conversation with Arvensis via Instagram about the Eryngium yuccifolium I had seen at Hauser and Wirth, the Piet Oudolf garden which I visited recently and I will blog about soon, I really set off to buy one of these, but came home with a whole load more!!

The nursery is set up for wholesale really and the time will come I'm sure when it's only open to the public on specific days, but they'd told me to just rock up which I did. You have to love a nursery where you're shaken by the hand by both owners and sent off to make a list, so I did exactly what I was told!

The first thing that struck me was how clean and tidy the place was. There wasn't a weed to be seen, where the mypex on the beds was empty it was swept and clean, and the health of the plants was extraordinary. There are several large polytunnels set out into grasses, shade lovers, Mediterranean etc and then an outdoor space full of those plants that really do grow best outside with no fuss. And even outside not awed could be seen.

Now some of you will know that in my nursery days herbaceous perennials were where my heart truly lay, and to some extent still does. I marvel at the seasonal cycle of these plants and the way they change a garden through the year. I'd love to experiment more with them and I have a little personal project in the go that will allow this to start to happen, but more of that another time dear reader.

So what did you buy I hear you say.

Well I could have bought the lot!! I didn't buy any grasses because I simply couldn't make my mind up which to choose, but I did leave with a fine haul which included the Eryngium, Geranium phaeum Samobor, Helianthus, Lemon Queen, Ageratina altissima Chocolate, Kirengashoma palmata, Salvia sclarea Vatican White, Agastache Black Adder, Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing, a beautiful white Scabious, my favourite thistle in Cirsium Atropurpureum, a white Hesperis and a couple of ferns!!

So if you're looking at rejiggjng an area, look them up and take a look at their plant list because I can almost guarantee if you're looking for herbaceous perennials, Arvensis won't let you down.

About Me

I am a professional horticulturalist, plantswoman, gardener, garden writer. Since 2005 I have made my living from my love of plants, gardens and the natural world. I am a passionate allotment holder, am fascinated by permaculture, love all things flowery and also long to share my passion with others which I am starting to do by setting up a range of courses for adults, and running Tiny Trowels for Under 5s, all in sunny Bristol. I have also co-founded Incredible Edible Bristol and am a bit busy turning Bristol into the UK's 1st edible city!!
Please ask before you quote from this blog!! Email sara@thephysicgarden.co.uk.